Homecoming
by FaeBullshit
Summary: **No category for Cruel Prince/Wicked King so I put it in with the the linked series by Holly Black, sorry! I'm so glad someone actually liked these! I don't know when I'll post again, unfortunately, but these are helping me deal with my emotions over the wicked kind and how we have to wait a whole year for Queen of Nothing! Let me know what you guys think!
1. Chapter 1

Three months had passed since Cardan had exiled me from Faerie. Three months since he'd persuaded me to release him of his vow in exchange for something even more precious: the throne. He'd known the only way I would give up my power over him was for a different sort of power and he'd given it to me. I had trusted him, I had allowed myself to be vulnerable with one of the Fae and I had only myself to blame for being tricked. He'd let me believe I could trust him and the very next day, his face was blank of any emotion, his inky black like icy fingers caressing my spine. " _I exile Jude Duarte to the mortal world. Until and unless she is pardoned by the crown, let her not step one foot in Faerie or forfeit her life."_ He'd even smiled at me as his knights led me away, as if he'd known something I did not. I'd tried to feel angry, to feel anything at all but when I'd shown up at Vivi's door with only the clothes on my back and my sword, Nightfell, at my hip I'd only felt tired.

And so for three months I'd replayed his cruel voice banishing me from my home, three months of my short human life spent sulking under the covers turning my options over and over. I'd given up. I'd tried to accept the cards I was given and move on, try to build some sort of life outside of Faerie. And then I'd gone looking through Vivi's clothes for something to wear, when I'd found a plastic tiara. Made of cheap plastic and painted silver, the tiara was something you might buy for a child on their birthday in the mortal world, it had probably even come with a wand. I would have just tossed it back in Vivi's closet had Cardan's words not come back to me. " _Until and unless she is pardoned by the crown, let her not step one foot in Faerie or forfeit her life."_

I had an idea.

It took only a few days for my plan to come together, I'd needed to come up with backup plan after backup plan until I was sure that If I failed I'd be able to leave Faerie with my life intact. And finally, satisfied that my plan was as good as it could be, I was ready. I'd gotten Vivi to charm me up a ragwort steed and promised I'd check in. As soon as I passed through the wall I'd decided to go by foot, as it would draw less attention. It didn't matter if I was seen, of course, because most folk would assume I was Taryn, but my heart beat erratically nonetheless. As I got to the Palace doors I checked my appearance one last time. My hair was braided away from my face, though wisps of it hung in loose waves where it had pulled free in the wind. A silver circlet of stars sat atop my head, forged by human hands but just as beautiful as something made by the fae, perhaps moreso. My gown, a deep blue velvet with silver stars embroidered along the skirts and a neckline that draped elegantly off my shoulders into long sleeves that came to a point at my wrist, edged in iron. I looked exactly how I'd imagine a faerie queen would look, save for my rounded ears. With my heart hammering at my rib cage as though a wild bird caught in a cage, I held my head high and pushed open the doors to the throne room.

Cardan was having another party which was no surprise. Courtiers twirled across the dance floor in all manner of dress, members of the council sipping faerie wine and talking amongst themselves and looking bored to be there. Cardan sat on the throne, a flute of faerie wine in his hand, his crown tilted atop his brow. Locke was grinning and speaking in his ear from his spot on the arm of the throne, as the Master of Revels. Taryn stood off to his side, a forgotten plaything who watched him with adoring eyes as he ignored her. I watched my twin, standing beside her husband and looking for all the world as though she was happy to just be in his orbit. My heart hurt, thinking of how she'd betrayed me, not only with Locke but conspiring with Madoc as well. I turned my attention back to Cardan, whose eyes were already on me, his flute of wine hovering just before his lips. I could have sworn his mouth even curled into a smile. I bit down my rage at him and held my head high as I stalked to the throne. Cardan, quick as a whip discarded his flute and stood to meet me halfway. The entire room seemed to quiet as one, everyone seeming to lean in to get a closer look at what was going on.

"Jude," Cardan spoke, his sinful mouth indeed curled into that cruel, cruel smile. I would not let myself think of that mouth on my skin, of what it felt like to have his hands tangled in my hair as he tried and failed to keep his desire at bay. "I thought I banished you to the mortal realm," he teased, dark eyes devouring me whole, traveling along my body before stopping at the crown atop my head. Surprise sparked in his eyes, and he grinned wider. My lips twitched, the beginning of a smile of my own. I shrugged, as though bored by the idea of exile and stalked past him.

"Yes, yes, 'Until or unless I am pardoned by the crown or forfeit my life' I remember." I kept my pace even, keeping my back to him; an arrogant move but effective, when I glanced over my shoulder, his face was a blank canvas but his eyes were painted in annoyance. Such a dangerous game we were playing.

"So you've come to forfeit your life? Shame," he moved closer, eyeing me like a cat watching a mouse. I laughed, harsh and quick, devoid of any humor.

"No, I've been pardoned of course," I waved him off, as though it was obvious. I stalked past more courtiers, meeting their eyes and daring them to defy me. None of them moved.

"Oh? I apologize, I don't remember remember writing you a pardon, and though I do enjoy my drink, I believe I'd remember such a thing," He stopped a few feet away from me as I climbed the dais to the throne. I turned and eyed the crowd before meeting his eyes as well.

"You didn't," I shrug as though that's enough of an answer. I look out over the crowd, watching the shock on their faces as I sit on the throne. "I did." Murmurs echo around the room, courtiers and servants all watch excitedly with wide,wild eyes. Some are debating whether I'll be executed for such a slight. Cardan holds up a hand and the room once again goes quiet, the only noise the click of his shoes on the smooth floors as he makes his way to me.

"Of course," Cardan says, as if he's just remembered something he'd forgotten. I cannot hide my own surprise when Cardan, High King of Elfhame, sinks to a knee and kisses my hand. "My Queen,"

The room errupts into chaos.


	2. Aftermath

"It would have been nice if you had come to me first before this performance of yours," Cardan had the room emptied, much to the displeasure of several of his party-goers including Nicasia and Locke, who'd both tried to speak with Cardan before being escorted out by his guards. He'd stayed mostly silent as the rest of his courtiers were filing out of the throne room, not meeting my eyes but keeping up appearances by standing next to me with a possessive arm slung low on my hips. I tried not to pay too much attention to all the points of contact between us as we watched the room empty of Cardan's subjects. _My subjects,_ I thought. I push the blasphemous thought from my mind, I wouldn't get too used to the idea of being queen when it was so easily taken from me before. If I were honest, I didn't even know if this was real, at the time the vows seemed so clear but as I obsessively turned them over in my head I kept seeing ways for them to be backhanded in the way all faerie dealings were. _Let us be wed until we wish for it to be otherwise and the crown has passed from our hands._ Did that mean we both had to not want to be married any longer or only one? And what about the crown passing from our hands? Could he just hand me the crown to get cleaned and suddenly I'm no longer queen? Thinking of every possible way our vows could be defined has my heart pounding and my head spinning.

"Jude?" I must have tuned him out, because Cardan's face is inches from my own, a picture of concern. I blink, and his dark eyes snuff out my remaining thoughts. His crown is still crooked atop his head, messy hair sticking out in a way that is effortlessly beautiful like all the fae. "I know its been a while since you've been around such devastating good looks, but you're staring" he jokes, and maybe I'm only imagining how his voice sounded just a tiny bit nervous. I clear my throat and stand up, putting space between us so I can breathe.

"I didn't know if you'd have me arrested or executed on the spot. It would have been a pity to spill blood on this dress," I gesture to my gown, remembering how hard it had been to find something to wear here in the mortal world. "Besides, why would I let you in on this? You sent me away!" my anger from the banishment flares as I whirl on Cardan. "You told me I could trust you and you sent me away from my home, away from everything i've worked for!" I don't even care that my voice cracks, don't care that there are tears in my eyes as I scream at him. Cardan stays silent, watching warily as I pace in front of him. "I trusted you," I whisper. He reaches out a arm, as if to comfort me, but I step back shaking my head. I have nothing left to say, so I go back to my old rooms.

My room has not been touched in 3 months. Clothes and boots and bits of paper litter the floor, candles burned down to the wick covered in thick layers of dust. It smells like stale air and the life I'd feared I'd never see again.

I'm woken up by Tatterfell, who apparently is still under my service.

"You've had three months to sleep in, it's time to get up" she disappears into the bathing chamber, and I hear her drawing a bath. The room is still a mess, but the clothing that was on the floor yesterday are now clean and tucked away in the wardrobe. I groan and sit up, the start of a headache pulsing at my temples. Tatterfell returns, leaning against the doorframe.

"Queen of Faerie," she whistles. "I knew you were a clever, ambitious girl, but I didn't think you were stupid." We watch each other from across the room, I'm unsure of whether or not she intended to insult me of simply make her disapproval known. After a long moment, she leaves the room without another word/ Sinking into the tub, I try not to think about the day ahead, of holding court with Cardan while he answers the Faes' questions. I hear a knock on the door, perhaps Tatterfell had forgotten something, though she'd never knocked before. _You weren't Queen of Faerie before,_ I think.

"Just come in, Tatterfell," I sigh. The door opens and clicks shut and I hear heavy footsteps, that decidedly do not belong to Madoc's servant. "Tatterfell?" I hear a thump, like whoever is in my room bumped into something followed by a muttered curse and I'm out of the tub in a flash, wrapping a dressing gown around my naked body and fumbling for one of the many daggers I'd hidden throughout my rooms. I hear footsteps coming towards the bath and as soon as the door opens I have a knife against the intruder's throat. A wide eyed Cardan grins at me and puts his hands up in a mock surrender.

"I know you like putting sharp things against my jugular but do you think you can hold off on murdering yet another royal just yet?" I hesitate, leaving my knife against his skin for a moment longer before stepping back.

"What are you doing here? Court isn't for hours," I glare at him, trying to hide that I'm feeling so exposed in the thin layer of cloth covering my body.

"But you left in such a hurry last night and I didn't get a chance to speak. Jude," he bends down so that I need to look at him and his expression is solemn. "I had to send you away, it was the only way to keep Orlagh happy and not start a war with the Undersea,"

"Bullshit! You would have sent me away even if Orlagh hadn't demanded I be punished! I was still recovering from being down there and you used me! You let me be dropped into the mortal world like garbage" I shove him, my anger flaring. He sneers back at me, stepping closer.

"I was the one being used, Jude. You played puppet master for a year, and I could have let that vow run out and be done with you but I offered you a crown instead. I trusted _you_ , Jude, but you never trusted me. You didn't even trust me enough to tell me that you killed Balekin even after I swore myself to you." His words are spoken with a deadly calm, his face only inches from my own as he glares down at me. The tension between us is a living thing, crackling like a fire and pushing and pulling us like the tide. The tension snaps when his dark eyes dip to my lips and he has me against the wall, his wicked mouth crushing mine, his fingers in my hair. All of my anger turns into an intense desire that has me pulling at his clothes, wrapping my legs around his waist, desperate for him to touch every inch of my body. He pulls back to look at me, dark eyes watching me, as if he's waiting for me to recoil from him, to push him away. I am too aware of how badly I want him, and how badly he wishes he didn't want me too. I think of how disgusted he was when we first kissed in the tunnels, how he'd fought his desire only to fail and give in to that blasphemous kiss. I don't know when he'd stopped fighting and let himself want me, and even more alarming I don't remember when I'd stopped denying my own feelings for him. I shouldn't let him touch me this way, I shouldn't let this go any further but when that wicked mouth of his meets my own, those thoughts go blissfully silent.


	3. Broken Mirror

**Thank you guys for reading! I'm sorry I didn't post earlier, I've been dealing with life and such. I'm not much of a writer but this has been the best way to deal with all my feelings about the end of Wicked King and how it'll be a year before Queen of Nothing. A year, you guys. I hope these mini chapters give you some sort of hope for Jude and Cardan because I'm honestly worried for how it will turn out.**

A knock on my door has me pushing Cardan away, though his taunting smile tells me how amused he is. My face is burning as I straighten my clothes.

"You need to leave," I say, refusing to meet his eyes, too afraid I won't be able to keep my hands off of his just yet. I can almost hear his smile widening as he makes a show of bowing.

"As you wish, my Queen," He opens the door, revealing Taryn standing on the other side hand poised to knock again. Her eyes widen as she takes in Cardan's disheveled appearance and then to my lack of proper clothing. Cardan glances over his shoulder at me, an eyebrow cocked before disappearing down the hallway. Taryn's eyes are wide as saucers as we size each other up. She looks different than I remember, which is disorienting considering we're twins. She was always softer than I was, a delicate flower where I was the weed, continuing to exist even after I'd overstayed my welcome in this garden. My heart hurts staring at my sister now.

"Jude," she speaks and her voice is filled with emotion; the tears already forming in her eyes. My jaw clenches as I bite down the urge to tell her it's okay and to forgive her just so she won't cry. Even after all she's done the instinct to protect her hasn't left. I stay silent a moment longer to compose myself before stepping aside and letting her in. I lean against the wall Cardan and I had just moments before been pressed against as Taryn settles onto the dusty couch. When she finally stops fidgeting with her dress she looks up at me warily. She must think I'll yell at her, that I will challenge her to another duel because of how she's betrayed me because she stays silent even as the seconds tick on. I quirk an eyebrow at her, waiting for her patience to break.

It doesn't take long.

"Jude, please I didn't mean for you to be exiled, how could I?" Her voice is whining, and I realize she expects me to just forgive her like I always have.

"You _pretended to be me_ to help the man who _killed our parents_." My voice is low, calm and icy and she flinches as if she'd been hit. "It doesn't matter what you meant to do," her mouth opens and closes but she stays silent. She looks to her hands in her lap and I notice how different they are from my own. While hers are smooth and delicate my own have calluses from years of swordplay and the scar from when I'd stabbed my own hand. I don't know why it makes me feel better that at least some part of me is not the mirror image of her.

"Madoc asked me to do that," she whispers finally.

"You didn't have to do it," I snap.

"Jude-" I stop her

"I am the Queen." I say flatly "And you will address me as such. I don't want you coming here again. If I have need of you, I'll find you. Though I can't think of a single reason I could _ever_ need you, Taryn. You're dismissed," I speak her name like poison on my tongue. I push myself away from the wall, away from my sister, who is now just a stranger that shares my face. I don't watch as her tears continue to spill down her cheeks. I don't watch as she stands and quickly leaves the room. I was always Taryn's savior, her protector. There was a time that I believed she cared for me as much as I cared for her. But that was before. I know better than to think my sister would ever choose me over the favor of the Fae.

Even if I would have chosen her.


End file.
